Electric switch gear



Jan. 18, 1938. R. PAXTON ELECTRIC SWITCH GEAR Filed March 12, 1936 Inventob n 0 UV m w w s 6 w s R H: .D

Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH GEAR- Robert Paxton, Drcxel Hill, Pa., assignor to GeneraFElectric. Company, a corporation of New York Application March 12, 1936-, Serial'No. 68,430 7 Claims. (01. 175 -298) My invention relates to electric switch gear; may be applied if desired to either type of'switchmore particularly to switch gear of the metal gear. enclosedunit type-wherein a plurality of'similar In the assembly" of switchgear oftthe cubicle. switchgear unitsare'joined-to form a--complete type'ithas heretofore been customaryto mount 51 metal enclosed bus andswitch station; and has separately various switchgear elements and struc- 5 for its principal object the'provision of an imtures within the cubicle thereby necessitating provedswitchgear unit of the above typewhich accurate-individual alignment and positioning of. will besimple and compact indesign, inexpensive the various bushings;.disconnect switches, etc. in in constructionandwhich canbe readilyassem-.. order that the .unitwould efiiciently'operate when bledzwith'predetermined accuracy. complete; This, of course, required considerable 10- My invention willbe more fully-set". forth in time and increasedithe cost-of-factoryprodum the=following description referring'to theaccom tion since each individual'cubiclehadtobe conpanyingi drawing, and thefeatures of novelty structed and assembled substantially on a custom which characterize my invention will be pointed order basis. Inother words, such a method was outwith particularity-m ttle claims annexed toobviously slow and comparatively expensiveand forming a part of this specification. where construction of a large number'of similar Referring to the drawing, Fig. l isa'n elevaunitsfor= abus-andswitch:stationwas required; tionalrear View; partly insection, of a switch For: the'apurpose ofsimplifying-theassemblygear'cubicle' unit embodying the present invenwithin the cubicle, I' divide the assembly into tion; Fig.2: is an' elevational side view of the two main-parts, namely, fabrication of the sheet unit insection; Fig. 3 is anenlargediperspective metal cubicle inrwhich the stationary'oil circuit View of part :of the structure shown inFigs; 1- breaker is mounted, and separate-fabrication-ot and 2'; and Fig. 4 isa view similar to-a portion a. sub-assemblyv uni-tas shown by Fig. 3, comof: Fig. .1- sh0wing:a--slightlymodified-form of -m-y prising-the disconnect switch'and busbar strucgainvention; tures; The sub-assembly is mounted as-a. unit 25.

The switch gear shownin-Figs. l and2' illus-w within the cubicle above. the circuit breakertrates a form of'metal enclosed busand switch forming within thecubicle separate compartstation wherein a plurality of' generally similar merits, and the switchgear. is then complete exswitch gear units indicated in Fig. 1 as A, B; C cept.forvsimpleelectricalconnections andcontrol 30, are placedin alignment and joinedso as to form wiring, the latterbeingomittedfromthedrawing a.continuous-bus. Inthe preferred form shown in the interest of clearness.

each'unit' comprises a stationaryframe I, which. As illustrated by'Fig. -3, thesub-assembly unit may be suitably constructed: of angle members for the .busbar and disconnect switch structures. and-sheetmetal sides ?2-to -formacubicle for thecomprises a sheet metal supportingrbase plate 8- switchgear. A1- circuit' breaker 3 of suitable in' which, when in position, is supported by angle 35 terrupting capacity, such as an oilcircuit breaker, members of the frame I. One side of. the base. for. example,- is suitably supported bya bracket 4 plate 8 is provided with aright angle vertical with respect to the stationary frame'andiselec flange 9, which in the present instance is L.- trically; connected, in. amanner hereinaftendeshaped and arranged so that the upper side I0 scribed, to busbarstructure5- and-abranch circuit. thereof 4 overhangs. and is substantially parallel 40 indicated at 6. with the base plate 8.

Av disconnect switch at- I istconnected in the Onthisoverhanging part I0 of theflange are circuit between. the busbar. and-circuit breaker mountedsupporting insulators I l for the phase so as toisolate. in: a well-knownmanner the. busbars 5 respectively, the busbars 5 being in 5; circuit breaker and branclrcircuitwitlrrespect sectionscorrespondingto a single switch gear to the live bus when the circuit breaker 3-is.open. unit so that the busbar sections of adjacent units As so far. described the: switch gear. is. otthewell maybe joined to. form a. continuous bus. The knowncubicle type-wherein the circuitbreakerflange 9 is preferably reinforced by, side walls I0. is stationary withinthe cubicle andthediscone- The disconnect switches {which in the presnectingoperation is performedby, separate. operent instance are of the double blade type, are 50 ation oiiadisconnect switch, as contrastedwith pivotally mounted'at I on insulating supports another form of metal cladswitchgear wherein or bushings l2 secured to and extending through the circuitbreaker is mounted for bodily. movethe base plate 8 as shown by Fig. 1. The switches mentto effect the disconnecting operation. It. I are operable so. as directly to engage the corshall be understood; of course, that myinvention responding busbars by suitable operating linkage comprising links i 3 and I4 connected to a common operating shaft IS. The shaft I5 is suitably mounted in lateral flanges 8' of the base plate, the flanges likewise providing greater rigidity for the unit.

The insulating supports l2 for the disconnect switches are formed as conductor bushings so that the pivoted terminal of the disconnect switch terminates beneath the base plate 8 in a conductor it which can be connected through the conductor II to the corresponding terminal 3 of the circuit breaker. Accordingly, when shaft i5 is rotated to move the disconnect switches clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, the terminals 3' of the circuit breaker are completely disconnected from the live bus.

In constructing the sub-assembly shown by Fig. 3 it will be apparent that any number of sub-assemblies may be made from a single plan without appreciable variation from each other. That is, by utilizing a single mounting structure the busbars, disconnect switches and through bushings may be accurately mounted in position on said structure so that alignment of the disconnect switches and busses is readily obtained independently of the positioning of the unit with respect to the cubicle. It will also be apparent that the simple electrical conductor ll interconnecting the stationary terminal of the disconnect switch and corresponding terminal of the circuit breaker can readily be designed and applied so as to provide for such variations as might occur in the relative positioning of the sub-assembly unit and the circuit breaker. In

the completed units shown by Figs. 1 and 2, a

terminal 3' of the circuit breaker is connected through a conductor I 8 to the branch circuit 6 through the customary current transformer l9 which is mounted on the side wall of the cubicle. The circuit breaker 3 is provided with an operating mechanism 20 extending through and mounted on the front wall 2| of the cubicle. The disconnect operating shaft l5 likewise extends through the wall 2! and terminates in a manually operated handle 22. A hinged front panel 23 may likewise be provided for supporting the various control instruments and meters (not shown) and for normally enclosing the operating means 20 and 22 for the circuit breaker and disconnect switches respectively.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a slightly modified form of my invention wherein the insulating mounting for the disconnect switch 1 is simplified so as to eliminate a through bushing. That is, the stationary terminal of the disconnect switch is mounted on an insulator 24 generally similar to the busbar supports H. In this case the base plate 8 is spaced from a side wall of a cubicle so as to provide an opening 25 through which the conductor [6' interconnecting the sta tionary disconnect terminal and the circuit breaker terminal may extend. In other respects the design is essentially the same as that above described.

It should be understood that my invention is not limited to specific details of construction and arrangement thereof herein illustrated, and that changes and modifications may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. Electric switch gear of the metal enclosed unit type comprising a supporting frame, a circuit breaker and busbar structure mounted in said frame, a partition forming in said frame compartments for said circuit breaker and busbar structure, respectively, said partition having a substantially right angle flange overhanging said partition at one side thereof forming therewith a unit independent of the switchgear enclosure, and insulating structure mounted on said flange for supporting said busbar structure in spaced relation to said partition.

2. Electric switch gear of the metal enclosed unit type comprising a supporting frame, a circuit breaker and busbar structure mounted in said frame, a metallic plate forming in said frame compartments for said circuit breaker and busbar structure, respectively, said plate having a rigid vertical flange, insulating structure mounted on said flange for supporting said busbar structure in spaced relation to said plate and disconnect contact structure supported by said plate included in the circuit between said busbar structure and circuit breaker.

3. Electric switch gear of the metal enclosed unit type comprising a supporting frame and circuit breaker and busbar structure mounted in said frame, disconnect switch contact structure for controlling the circuit between said busbar structure and circuit breaker, a supporting base plate for said busbar structure and disconnect contact structure forming in said frame compartments for said circuit breaker and busbar and disconnect contact structures respectively, said base plate having integrally joined thereto vertical flange structure, and insulating structure mounted on said flange structure for supporting said busbar structure in spaced relation to said base plate.

4. Electric switch gear comprising a supporting frame, a stationary circuit breaker mounted in said frame, busbar structure positioned above said circuit breaker within said frame, a metallic partition between said busbar structure and circuit breaker, a disconnect switch mounted on said partition, said partition having a vertical flange structure formed integrally therewith and insulating structure mounted on said flange structure for supporting said busbar structure in spaced relation to said partition so that the same can be directly engaged by said disconnect switch.

5. Electric switch gear of the metal enclosed unit type comprising a supporting frame and circuit breaker and busbar structure mounted in said frame, a metallic partition forming in said frame compartments for said circuit breaker and busbar structure respectively, said partition having an L-shaped flange extending vertically therefrom so that the upper portion of said flange is substantially parallel with and overhangs said partition and insulating structure mounted on said parallel flange portion for supporting said busbar structure.

6. In electric switch gear of the metal enclosed unit type including a supporting frame and a circuit breaker, busbar structure and disconnect switches for interconnecting said busbar structure and circuit breaker, a sub-assembly unit comprising a base plate adapted to be supported in said frame, said base plate having vertically extending flange structure at one end thereof, insulating structure mounted on said flange structure for supporting said busbar structure, dis connect switch structure pivotally mounted on said base plate for engaging said busbar structure and operating means including a rotatable shaft for said disconnect switch structure, said base plate having later-a1 flanges in which said shaft is rotatably mounted.

7. Electric switch gear of the metal enclosed unit type comprising a supporting frame, a circuit breaker and busbar structure mounted in said frame, a metallic plate forming in said frame compartments for said circuit breaker and busbar structure, respectively, said plate having an L- shaped flange extending vertically therefrom, the

10 upper portion of said flange overhanging said plate, insulating structure mounted on said overhanging portion for supporting said busbar structure, a disconnect switch mounted on said plate cooperating with said busbar structure, and a conductor directly interconnecting said disconnect switch and said circuit breaker, said plate being spaced from a side wall of said frame to provide clearance for said conductor. 

